Complete 8 Day Ireland Road Trip Itinerary
One of the best ways to see Ireland is by car. If you have never been to the country before and have enough time and sense of adventure, it is a great way to explore the island at your own pace and see the landscape. I recognize driving in a foreign country is not for everyone, so for the most part, you can also take public transport such as trains/tours for this itinerary too, but you lose some of the flexibility over the schedule.
Table of Contents
Day 2 - Kilkenny to Kinsale to Dingle
Driving Considerations:
If you are doing a road trip, you need a car! If you have a valid drivers license and are over the age of 25, you can likely rent a car in Ireland. Try to book your car well ahead of the trip to ensure availability, especially during the busy season. Also, be sure to research the various rental insurance policies and offers because it can be complicated and confusing.
They drive on the left side in Ireland!
While it can take some getting used to for American or other right-side drivers, Ireland drives on the left side of the road and the right side of the car. This isn’t too big of a deal and eventually you will get the hang of it.
The default is stick shift
Again, for my American friends, make sure that you get an automatic if that is what you are used to at home. Even if you drive stick, remember that the driver’s side is on the right side of the car and you drive on the left side of the road. This may mess with any muscle memory you have.
Get the smallest car you need
I cannot emphasize this enough. While most of the roads are paved and nice, you may encounter some that are extremely narrow. Get a smaller car so you can navigate more easily. You don’t want to play chicken on the winding roads between a cliff and a tour bus. Plus, this makes parking a little easier.
Tolls
Ireland charges tolls throughout and are generally paid at toll booths. There is an exception with the M50 eFlow barrier system. Instead of paying your toll at a toll booth, the system will photograph your vehicles license plate and then you need to pay the toll before 8pm the following day. Some car rental companies may pay the toll for you and add it to your bill when you return the call, but always check ahead of time so you don’t get a surprise fine.
Okay, so you have decided to rent your car and you understand all the complications about renting a car, now you are ready to plan your trip! The following itinerary is PACKED with travel and activities so feel free to stretch some of these days out if you want to take it a little slower.
Day 1 – Dublin to Kilkenny
Morning – Arrive in Dublin
Arrive in Dublin in the morning and grab your rental car. Make sure that you have a phone with international service or get a GPS to help you navigate. Then, hit the road and drive southwest towards Kilkenny. It is mostly lush green highways nestled between trees for the two-and-a-half-hour drive, which is pleasant. One cool thing to note is that the road signs are both in English and in Gaelic.
Afternoon: Kilkenny
Arrive in Kilkenny. Your first stop should be Kilkenny Castle. This medieval castle has been standing for over 800 years and is full of history. You can find parking nearby on the street or in a parking lot but there aren’t any onsite. We parked at Black Abbey about a kilometer into town so that we would be in a more central location after the castle. Once at the castle, there is an entrance fee, but the self-guided tours are under ten euro, and you get to see well preserved artwork and artifacts. You can also explore the grounds and enjoy the gardens and surrounding park.
It is then time to head into town for a bite. The curvy, cobblestoned streets are lined with pubs and restaurants with flowers hanging from the windows. Each building’s front had its own personality, and they weren’t shying away from bright colored facades. I could not resist stopping for ice cream at The Ice Cream Parlour overlooking the River Nore.
After ice cream, we dropped our bags off at our Airbnb, located above the Pumphouse Pub. How often do you get to say that you stayed above a pub? Though the accommodation was small and involved a shared bathroom, we were only staying for one night and did not mind. We loved the proximity to the bar where we felt like characters in a 90’s sitcom, walking downstairs to the local watering hole. Instead of going to the St. Canice’s Cathedral and climbing the round tower, after a long day of driving, we opted for a cold beer instead.
Evening: Relaxing at the pub
We stopped for some fish and chips at Matt the Millers. It was a little touristy but still decent food and in a cool location. Scattered along the wood paneling were quirky signs from an older era. Here, I enjoyed my first Guinness in Ireland.
We retired for the evening after it had just gotten dark. The town lights up like I would soon discover, many Irish towns with the sounds of people gathering at the local pubs to grab a pint and listen to some live music. As we passed by each pub along the way, we were tempted to be drawn in by the clanking glass, crowd chatter, and sounds of fiddles. There are some downsides to staying above a pub, of course the reviews warned us. That is because the party doesn’t stop until much after bar close, even if we were ready for bed and a little jet lagged. Earplugs came in handy this night.
Day 2: Kilkenny to Kinsale to Dingle
Morning: Kilkenny to Kinsale
The next morning, we packed up and headed over to a Kilkenny Farmers Market near the castle. The Farmers Market Runs on Thursdays from 9:30 – 2:30 and has a variety of vendors and artists but it is still fun to walk around. I am always interested to check out the local markets where locals stop to grab fresh vegetables for the week. It is a place for locals and tourists alike.
As we hit the road on the next leg of our road trip, we stopped at Cahir Castle about an hour in. This castle has a nice grounds and had been the filming location for shows like Excalibur and The Tudors. With admission for adults of five euros, it is also a more affordable option. Inside the main castle is a while stoned room with a large dining table and chandelier. The antlers hanging on the back wall felt very medieval and I felt like I could have been on an episode of Game of Thrones.
Afternoon: Kinsale
We decided to skip the town of Cork, famous for the Blarney Stone. Even though we visited Ireland pre-pandemic, I did not have any interest in hanging upside-down and kissing a communal rock. Rather, we drove a little further past Cork proper and arrived in the cute sailing town, Kinsale. This small town along the southern coast had a variety of cute seasonal shops and several fun bookstores. I could tell that it was a vacation town with its beaches and harbor. We stopped for lunch with a view of the sailboats.
Evening: Dingle
From Kinsale, it was another two and a half hours to Dingle. The good thing about traveling in Ireland in the summer is that the days were long. We arrived just in time for check-in, driving past the town of Dingle and up a small country road to this cute, proper bed and breakfast, The Milestone House. At the time, the two of us were able to stay in a single room with a view of the Irish countryside. 2023 Update: The Milestone House had gone under some renovations and hosts larger groups of four or more. I also don’t think they are including Irish breakfasts as a part of the reservation.
After dropping off our luggage, we walked into town explore the pub scene properly. Dingle only has a population of about 1,500 but has over 60 pubs. That is a small pub to person ratio! We were especially curious about the hardware pubs where you can pick up a pint of paint then grab a pint of Guinness. There were so many pubs and while there are some more famous and popular ones, I suggest walking through the streets and finding ones that fit the atmosphere that interests you.
Day 3: Dingle
Morning: Irish Breakfast and Slea Head Drive
We finally had the homemade Dingle breakfast the next morning. The host had posted the menu on a blackboard with the full spread: juices, fruit salad, stewed rhubarb, stewed prunes, sausages, bacon, black and white pudding, baked beans, eggs, tomatoes. It was quite hearty and tasted delicious. If you have the option of booking one of your stays in a true bed and breakfast, I highly recommend it.
We hopped in the car to drive the Slea Head Drive along the western part of the peninsula. I (and the Dingle tourism office) strongly recommend that travelers drive clockwise along to drive to avoid meeting the large tour buses on the loop. Trust me, you want to drive with the flow of the busses, not against them. While it only takes three hours to complete, you will want to account for a full day so that you can stop and enjoy the sites.
The first thing we encountered on our drive was a herd of sheep and a border collie herding it through the streets. It was so fun to watch the dog running back and forth to keep the sheep in line as she pushed them towards the enclosure. We stopped for about twenty minutes to watch the entire herd of hundreds of sheep crossing the road.
Afternoon: Dingle Slea Head Drive
Though the sheep slowed our trip down a little bit, we were back on track to our first official site, the Fahan Bee Hives. These cone-shaped huts are found all throughout County Kerry and even at the impressive Skellig Michael. They are ancient homes that were bult with stacked rocks over 1000 years ago. We could walk up to, and even inside, some of these huts and imagine what it would have been like to live in the hut back in those days.
There were several stops to look out and see the beaches and cliffs below. Though we didn’t swim, we made a stop to a couple of beaches such as Inch Beach and Slea Head Beach. We also got some really amazing views of Three Sisters and Sleeping Giant island formations off the coast. In a similar vein to the Bee Hives, the Gallarus Oratory is a fully intact rock structure with some information on its history.
We made it back to the bed and breakfast to drop off our car in the late afternoon. Ready to eat, we stopped at An Cupan Tae for a snack. We then did some window shopping at the bookstore and a few other local shops. One of my favorite spots was Sweet Pea that was home to a cute black and white cat who was a bit of a celebrity. A couple other great spots we stopped was Dingle Cheese Shop and Murphy’s Ice Cream.
Evening: Enjoy the bars in Dingle
It was another night of pub crawling. This time, we set out to listen to some good music. This wasn’t difficult to find as several of the bars boast live music almost every night. We landed at O’Sullivan’s Courhouse Pub, grabbing a stool and another Guinness to listen to the accordion, fiddle, and guitar. After that, there was no agenda, it was just enjoying the music and the atmosphere.
Day 4: Dingle to Cliffs of Moher to Galway
Morning: Driving to Cliffs of Moher
It was an early morning on the road to head to Galway. After driving for three hours, we stopped for lunch in Lahinch. This town is extremely small and not super touristy. There weren’t a lot of food options so I wouldn’t say that it is a huge destination except for the golf course along the cliffs.
Afternoon: Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are a must-do for anyone visiting Ireland for the first time. You will want to reserve your time slot ahead of time if you want to save some money and guarantee your spot. We got there during peak hours which is unfortunate but based on our itinerary, was unavoidable. We parked in the parking lot then crossed the street to get to the park. I can see why this is such a famous location for tourists but they definitely have it quite established. It was a friendly reminder that nature is amazing and just how small we humans are.
As we headed towards Galway, we drove through the Burren area which has amazing rocky landscape. We pulled the car over at a famous tomb site Poulnabrone dolmen perched at one of the highest points of the landscape. These limestones perched up creating a portal-like structure. This tomb is ancient. It is estimated that the people buried here were alive between 3800 and 3200 BC.
Evening: Galway
Galway is just an hour and a half from the Cliffs of Moher. It is a coastal town that has a great mix of culture and history making it a perfect stop for tourists. The town feels young, with the University of Galway as an anchor, drawing young people from near and far. Since we were only spending a night in Galway, much of the evening was spent in the main town pub hopping. We ate and drank our way through the town, enjoying the people watching. One of the highlights was at The Pie Maker for some Irish savory pies.
Day 5: Galway to Belfast
Morning: Drive to Beflast
It was another day in the car as we headed northeast towards Belfast in Northern Ireland. In order to optimize our time for the three and a half drive, we drove straight through, only stopping once for a bathroom break.
Afternoon: Belfast & Giants Causeway
Belfast is in Northern Ireland and is a part of the United Kingdom. Though there is no physical border between Northern Ireland, and you won’t get to add a British stamp to your passport, it is important to stay up to date on any border policy changes as you are still travelling between two different countries. As we drove, there were some larger hedges lined with British flags to indicate that we were entering the United Kingdom, but otherwise it wasn’t too noticeable.
We wanted to take advantage of the car and drove straight past Belfast and up to Giant’s Causeway, a natural wonder of hexagonal interlocking basalt columns in the northern coast. There is a park fee which includes access to parking, the visitor center, and guided tours. It was definitely worth the extra hour to see the features and I really admired how something so geometric exists so naturally.
Day 6: Belfast
Morning: Walking tour
When traveling in a new city, a walking tour is one of the best ways to familiarize yourself without wandering around completely lost. My friend booked the following tour and had gone on it twice before.
On this tour, we learned about the history of Northern Ireland and Belfast especially during The Troubles. I find it important to try to learn a little bit about the history of a place your are visiting. We ended our tour stopping at The Chippy, this hole-in-the-wall fish and chips restaurant where Rihanna famously featured in her “We Found Love” music video in 2011.
Afternoon: Titanic Museum
One of the most famous things about Belfast is that it was the building place of the Titanic. The Titanic was famously built in Belfast in the Harland & Woolf shipyard making the Titanic Belfast museum an impressive and educational stop. We spent nearly three hours there walking around the impressive museum and learning about the history of the Titanic. Not only does it showcase the building and what life may have been like for those travelling on the ship, but it also shows its demise and wreckage in a somber but powerful exhibition.
Evening: Dinner
We grabbed dinner at a The Dirty Onion and Yardbird and enjoyed another night in the pub scene. This place is huge with a backyard patio scene along with a rustic interior. It felt like we were in an old farmhouse fitted with bourbon and rotisserie chicken. After indulging in some of the best wings I have had in a while, we were ready for bed.
Day 7: Belfast to Dublin
Morning: Drive to Dublin
We drove to Dublin. It was under two hours to get back to the Irish capital and we dropped off our car at this point. We didn’t want to have a car in the larger city, so we dropped off a car and then took public transportation back to our accommodations. We dropped off our luggage and then made our way to walk around the city.
Midday: Guinness Tour
Since it was my first time in Ireland, I wanted to visit the Guiness Factory. This place is very touristy for a reason but does provide a lot to experience when on the premises. I recommend that you get a ticket ahead of time. That way, you can guarantee your spot and plan your itinerary around it. With your admission ticket, you can redeem it for one drink with some of the following options: tasting flight, pour your own, or Skydeck.
We opted to pour our own Guiness and that was one of the best activities because of how interactive it was. You learn about the “proper” way to pour a Guinness, including letting the beer rest before adding the extra nitrogen at the end. Once you pour it, you even get a little certificate. After pouring our beers, we went upstairs and still got to enjoy the Skydeck.
Afternoon: Kilmainham Gaol prison tour
That afternoon, we took the Kilmainham Gaol prison tour. We learned about people held there from ordinary criminals to those who fought for Irish independence. Important moments from the
the 1798 rebellion, to the 1916 Easter Rising, the Anglo-Irish War (1919-21), to the devastation of the Irish Civil War (1922-23), were all parts of the history of this prison. One of the more remarkable points was at the end of the tour when we stood out in a line outside in the exact same spot where prisoners were executed. It was spooky.
Evening: Relaxing at the Pub
That evening, we decided to go to a few of the local bars including the famous Temple Bar. If you haven’t’ noticed, there was definitely an evening pattern to our trip enjoying the pub culture.
Day 8: Dublin
Morning: Trinity College and Book of Kells
Similar to other activities, it was important to book admission to the Trinity College and the Book of Kells early. The Book of Kells is a historic collection of books on display. Your timed entry ticket allows access to the books and the famous library. We waiting in line and filed into the room to admire these ancient books.
I was most excited for the library and I was not disappointed. I was one of the first people in the library for our reservation and was in awe of the amazing high arches and mahogany bookcases. We were able to enjoy it with minimal crowds early in the day but note that you will likely have to work pretty hard to get no one in your picture/it will be nearly impossible. The nerd in me was very impressed to see a library like this. I just needed a ladder I could slide down like in Beauty and the Beast.
Afternoon: Teeling Distillery Tour
Since we didn’t stop for a Jameson tour while in Cork, we decided to go to the Teeling Distillery. This distillery is less famous that Jameson but arguably better quality. We booked a tour where we also were able to go on a tasting. We learned about the history of the Dublin fire and why having high concentrations of highly flammable alcohol is not ideal and perhaps why the Jameson distillery is no longer in the city center.
Evening: Relaxation and Packing
We enjoyed some clam chowder at a pub near our place as it was our last night. An early morning flight the next day meant that we needed to do some considerate packing ahead of time. A quiet evening was called for after such a jam-packed trip. But it was a trip to remember.